I did not intend to take so long to get this chapter out. First Neal was kidnapped and locked in a closet by Dean, then the holidays rolled around and, no offense to anyone, but spending time with family and friends is more important to me than writing fanfiction, and after the holidays, Wolf decided he didn't want to cooperate with me. That said, I am sorry it has taken me so long and I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. Also, chapter 3 of Spin Out ties into this chapter somewhat. It doesn't have to be read to understand this chapter, but it does have a bit of backstory that you might be interested in.
Also, I have a quick favor to ask of the lot of you. I've put a poll in my profile that will pertain to a chapter in Spin Out (that will most likely be referenced in Cross Out) so I'd appreciate it if you could vote. I plan to leave it up for a couple months then put up a second one that will tie into the later time line of Cross Out. That's everything, so, here's the second part of the paintballing excursion.
09
"Fuck!"
Alex smirked, easing away from her latest victim. She had ditched her shoes and newly pink armor not long after the second team had vanished into the trees and was doing her best to move silently in her bare feet. She was still irritated that some genius decided to buy more balls in her color and break them over her chest piece 'so they could see her and didn't accidentally hurt her'. Oh, she was definitely looking forward to showing them that she wasn't some helpless 'damsel'.
Technically, they were supposed to be playing Capture The Flag, but since she didn't have a team, flag, or anything else, she was more than content to just shoot as many of them as she could. And, as much as she hated to admit it, it was good practice for the future.
Alex froze when she heard some rustling a bit behind and to the left of her. She glanced up the tree next to her before ignoring it and squeezing herself under a fallen log. She yanked her gun against her chest and slowed her breathing.
It was only a minute or so later that heavy footsteps passed by, scant feet from where she was barely concealed by the forest debris. She glanced up, saw that it was Ben, and smirked, poking her barrel up and pulling the trigger.
He yelped in pain, pitching forward as a hand flew back and he grabbed his butt, hand over pink paint.
Alex started giggling, rolling out the far side after shooting his boot rather than the double-tap she had been hitting everyone else with. "Got you twice," she snickered before fading back into the foliage.
Ben pushed to his knees, cursing softly. He had known that this was going to bite him in the ass, but he didn't think it would be so literal. Damn Alex and her sense of humor.
Though, the fallout from this should prove to be amusing... If he wasn't going to be involved in it, anyway.
Alex bit back her own curse, tripping over a large branch as she hurried to avoid a trio that had nearly stumbled over her. She slithered under a couple of bushes that still had most of their leaves, coloring as they were, and froze when she nearly crawled out into what looked like one of the teams' bases.
She carefully pushed onto one elbow, using her free hand to move a branch slightly. Seeing only one soldier with his back to her, and the flag, gave her the idea to try stealing it. Her eyes flew over the ground around her, settling on a rock half the size of her fist.
Alex smirked, grabbing the rock and easing onto her knees before hurling the rock over the man's head. They both heard it land with a clatter and, when he went to investigate, she darted out of hiding and sprinted through the small clearing, yanking the flag down as she passed. At the edge, she aimed at where she could just barely see him looking around and shot a handful of times before dropping and crawling away.
Just like in training, she thought wryly. Though this probably would have been more fun.
Tentative plan firmly in mind, Alex made her way to the other base. For being soldiers, none of them are really all that observant, she mused. Then again, they are off duty and aren't expecting to be attacked, she added bitterly, spying on the pair left to guard blue team's flag. One of them was Snake.
Alex decided that, since he hadn't been as bad as Wolf, then she wouldn't be too mean to him, but he was definitely getting worse than Ben. The problem, though, with two guards, was that the same rock trick wasn't as likely to work. If she threw one stone, then one of the soldiers would look while the other stayed; two rocks at the same time would be suspicious; and two rocks in different places shortly after each other would most likely seem contrived as well.
What to do? She didn't have the ammo to waste trying to herd them out and she wasn't about to just step out there. Maybe if there was one, but not two.
Unless... she could claim she was lost, but even if she could explain away her lack of shoes, the absence of her armor would be a hell of a lot harder.
No, that wouldn't work. Alex bit her lip, staying behind the tree as she thought. What would be the quickest way to get them away? They all thought she was incompetent and naïve, she could turn that against them.
Alex's lips turned up in a smile that, had Ben seen it, he would have called mildly evil. She snuck away again, going far enough to be well out of sight, but still within yelling distance. Sacrificing a few of her limited number of paintballs, she shot a couple of the trees, the ground, and between some of the other trees before letting out the best terrified scream she could muster.
Smirking again, Alex ran to the side, making a clear path for a couple dozen yards before she veered toward the base, keeping low and as quiet as possible. Knowing the way most guys were when they thought a girl was in trouble, the soldiers would most likely run directly to where she had staged things while she circled around them and stole the flag.
But, where to put them?
Alex shrugged. She'd figure that out later. She smiled when she came back to blue team's base and saw that her plan had worked. The blue flag joined the red one in her pocket until she stepped on another stone.
She huffed and found a small spot to conceal herself in as she pulled out both flags again. The red one was wrapped around one foot while the blue went around her other. It wasn't the greatest solution but it was better than running around barefoot or in heels. She'd just take them off when she got back to the cars and found somewhere to tie them. Probably a tree or something.
Speaking of trees, she had already picked out the one she was going to climb up to take potshots from. She just hoped it wouldn't tear up her feet too badly.
Alex jumped when a paintball splattered on the tree next to her head not long after she had pushed herself from her hiding place. She spun, dropping to a near kneel so she could still move easily, and leveled her gun in the direction it came from, heart hammering in her throat.
A laugh and a taunt made her relax minutely. Someone had just missed one of the others, not been aiming at her. She sighed slightly in relief, starting to move again while keeping in her crouch. She would have shot at the men, but now that she had managed to get both flags, she wasn't going to draw attention until after she had gotten rid of them.
The problem with that was now the woods were swarming with soldiers. Apparently it hadn't taken them long to get the word spread that the flags were missing and all of them were out looking and aiming to blockade the other team's base. She was curious how long it would take them to figure out that the opposing team hadn't taken the flag and they started to work together.
Alex got to the edge of the woods and peered around before sneaking over the the cars. She tied both flags to the antenna of Wolf's car then walked back to the trees, angling for the sixty foot or so tall pine that looked half-dead. What was left of the needles should provide her with some small bit of cover without blocking her line of sight too badly and the branches would make it easier to climb.
She got herself situated about halfway up, the highest she was willing to climb with the way it was creaking. Now it was just a question of waiting, something that was always so exciting, please note the sarcasm.
Twenty minutes later and she had shot maybe another few times. She was pretty sure that she had maybe another half dozen or so rounds that she was planning on saving in case she had missed any of the soldiers.
There was a groaning sound when Alex shifted position to shake out her arms, her body unused to sitting and waiting like this - apparently she needed to start doing stuff like hiding in trees more often. She froze with a barely uttered cuss passing her lips as she felt the branch she was perched on begin to give way.
Alex tossed her gun away from the tree so it wouldn't tangle her up as she started to make her way down. One branch broke under her, dropping the teen a few feet until she caught another with one hand, sending her swinging. Before she could get a better grip or transfer to a thicker limb, the one she was holding broke as well.
Between the momentum she had gotten from the swing created by her catch and the instinctive way she curled around herself, Alex wasn't able to catch another branch and crashed through back first. This wasn't the first time she had been in this position, but the last fall hadn't been from quite so high. At least the branches, while painful and causing their own welts and bruises, were sufficient enough to slow her so the landing wouldn't kill her, but it would still most likely knock her unconscious. She could just imagine the lecture Ben was going to give her for this, whenever she woke up.
She clenched her eyes shut just before landing, stars bursting behind her eyelids as she knocked her head on something before they faded into darkness.
Alex's eyes flew open when she heard the pained grunt from just under her right before she, and whoever she landed on, hit the ground. She quickly rolled off to see who had broken her fall.
Wolf was sprawled in the leaves and pine needles, eyes closed and a splash of paint over his heart that made Alex's old scar twinge in phantom pain.
"God, Wolf!" Alex breathed, crawling over to him to check on him. She shook his shoulder when the only thing she could find was that he wasn't responding to her attempts to talk him around. "Wolf, c'mon, wake up."
A strong hand grabbed her wrist, causing her to jump. "Will you just stop?" he growled softly, cracking open his eyes to glare at her.
"Are you okay?" she asked, easing back from where she was leaning over him.
Before he could answer, someone had grabbed Alex's shoulders and spun her. Brown eyes blinked up at Neal as he looked her over. Snake knelt next to Wolf and, fending off his team leader's hands, checked on the man.
"Are you okay?" both men echoed Alex.
She blinked again then started giggling, the adrenaline combined with the lingering shock of the fall serving to make her a bit silly.
"Alex?" Neal's hands tightened on her shoulders and he ended up pulling her closer, barely refraining from shaking her.
"I'm fine," she said as Wolf growled out the same. "Where did you come from?"
"We were on our way out. All of us saw you fall. Are you sure you're alright?"
She nodded. "Yeah. Just some bruises. Wolf broke my fall."
Ben snorted from where he was standing. "Yeah. We saw. Apparently he was coming over to yell at you."
Alex looked passed Neal. "What?"
"For climbing the tree. You know that was stupid, right?"
"I didn't expect the branches to break," she muttered, turning to look at Wolf and leaning back against Neal's chest.
Snake got Wolf semi-vertical then moved to Alex's side. "Where are you hurt?"
Alex sighed. "I'm not, really. Just bruises on my back. I'll be sore and a bit stiff for a little while, but nothing major."
"How did you climb up there in those... Where are your shoes? And your padding?"
She blinked again and looked down at her feet, covered in dirt and sap as they were. "Over by the cars."
"Why did you take them off?"
Alex fixed an arch look on the medic. "Have you ever tried running through the woods in three inch heels?"
It was the older blond's turn to blink. He sighed. "Let me see your feet." Rather than give her the chance to object, he simply lifted one of her feet, cradling a heel in one long hand. "It doesn't look like you managed to hurt them," he said, peering at her other foot.
"Why did you climb the tree?" Wolf growled, getting to his feet and pushing away Ben's attempt to help.
"Better vantage point. Ben's said it's a good idea to find somewhere you likely wouldn't be seen," Alex responded, fending off Neal trying to pick her up and standing herself.
Ben looked at her. "I've also said to make sure you always have a way out. Climbing a tree really isn't that intelligent of a choice."
Alex scowled. "So? If those had been real bullets, it's not like most of you would have been able to chase me. And I can't believe how close I was able to get to some of you. I'm a girl. So what? It's just as easy for me to use a gun as it is for you to. Either way, you can end up dead," she snapped before storming over to the car.
Alex knew she had done a good job and came very close to having shot all of the men multiple times. She hadn't been able to find Bat and she was pretty sure that she had somehow missed Bear, but she knew she had hit Wolf at least five times and was rather proud of herself for that. For her age and the fact the men had much more training than she did, even taking into account the training she got from SCORPIA, she figured that Ben would be a little happier. What does he do instead? He acts like Blunt would have and points out her mistakes. Like it was something she'd do on an actual mission. Hell, if it was a real mission, she wouldn't have stopped running after completing her objective even to shoot the soldiers. It just usually turned out that she got caught or couldn't actually run anywhere - not that that had stopped her any.
Ben swore softly, catching the hurt look on Alex's face as she was stalking over to her shoes. It was then that the flags were noticed. He saw the dark look that crossed a couple of soldiers faces and spoke up. "Well, if it wasn't for that excitement, you'd have tried to kill me sooner." He gave a small smile when he saw he had their attention again.
Everyone ignored Neal's mutter of, "Excitement? Don't you mean heart-stopping terror?" as Coyote stepped in front of Ben. "What the hell were you doing then?"
"Showing you how aggravating working with MI6 can be. I figured that having the flag with me would be safer than just leaving it."
"So you decided to take our flag, get theirs, and tie them to Wolf's car?"
"Yep. And I got Alex to help. Worked pretty good too considering how it got everyone's attention and almost all of us ran over. Come on guys, think outside the box."
Coyote growled in a good imitation of Wolf. "The next time you want to pull crap like that, warn your team first."
Ben shrugged. "Didn't have the time to."
There was a general rolling of eyes at that and a few mutters along the lines of 'bullshit' and 'typical'.
Ben shrugged again and trailed after Neal.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
Alex turned and smiled wryly at her boyfriend. "I'm fine considering I just fell out of a tree. I'm more concerned about James since I landed on him."
"Ah, he'll be fine. I've landed on him before," he said, smiling and hoping for a return. His smile dropped when all he got was a small quirk of her lips. "Alex..." He brushed some pine needles from her hair. "You don't seem okay."
She shrugged. "I'll be fine. It's just some bruises. I've had worse." She reached down to grab the armor they had rented for her only to see that Ben had it, and her gun, and was returning them.
"Worse than falling over twenty feet from a tree? Like what?" came from behind Neal as Snake walked up, followed by a limping Wolf.
Alex turned. "I've nearly drowned. Are you okay?"
"Fine," Wolf growled, half-glaring at her.
Alex smiled slightly, completely unaffected by it. Before they were quite sure of what was happening, the teen struck. She popped up and kissed Wolf's cheek. "Thank you." She moved back over to Neal's side and leaned against him, looking tired.
They just looked at her, startled into silence.
"Can we go now?"
After a couple conversations, which Alex completely missed due to curling up in the car, K-unit left the park and, on their way back to London, stopped for dinner. And to interrogate Alex about her performance, of course. Though they were nice enough to wait until after the food had been brought out before starting in on it.
"So what the hell was that?" Wolf demanded more than asked, since he figured she had enough 'recovery time'.
Alex scowled, finishing her bite and brandishing her spoon at him. "That was you and your buddies being jackasses and me showing you that you were."
"How the hell were we–"
"You underestimated me just because I'm a girl. I showed you that you were being stupid. Just because I'm a girl, doesn't mean that I'm useless. I already said this."
Neal placed a hand over hers and lowered the spoon. "Okay Alex, you're right. But... where did you learn all of that?"
She looked at him. "Ben's taken me paintballing a couple times."
They blinked and looked at Ben.
"You didn't ask. And she has a point," he said pointedly. "One that she's exploited more than once," he added, shooting a playful glower at the girl.
Alex just smiled at him and took another bite of ice cream, smugly proving his point since she had conned Ben into getting it for her and acted her age by deciding it was the better choice and eating it first.
"And screaming?" Snake asked, remembering the scare he had at hearing it so close to where he had been standing guard and the initial panicked thoughts that had flown through his mind.
"Diversion."
Wolf rolled his eyes and raised an eyebrow. "What about the insane act?"
"Same thing. And it's fun. My best friend is like that most of the time. After a while, you really don't notice it."
"Why did you do something as stupid as climbing a half-dead tree?"
"Seemed like a good idea at the time. And it looked sturdier than it was."
Alex shifted slightly as the meal, and the questions, wore on. She was able to answer almost everything truthfully, it just wasn't always the complete truth. Wolf was watching her closely and it was making her uncomfortable. It was reminding her of the last time he had had done this, back at the Beacons. And she knew what the expression meant; that something wasn't adding up for him and he was going to be suspicious until he figured it out. Alex knew that he was doing it on Neal's behalf, because of how protective he was of his team. She kind of wished that she wasn't on this end of it but the other, that he was willing to protect her without orders.
Wolf's eyes narrowed when the teen met his eyes before swiftly looking away, dropping her gaze to the floor. Now, where had he seen that before?
Snake and Ben were the first to be let out, in front of the small town house they split the rent of. Wolf headed to Neal's apartment building next, planning to head to his own flat afterward.
"Alex, I don't think it's a good idea for you to take the tube home. It's getting late," Neal said softly from where he was sat next to Alex in the backseat. "Would Jack be willing to come get you?"
"She would be, but she had another 'cooking lesson' today. Different instructor though. I doubt she's home yet."
"Then I'll see you home."
"I appreciate it, but I don't want you to have to do that. And you know I can handle myself."
"Yeah, but you're also banged up. I'd rather not risk it."
Alex opened her mouth to retort, but Wolf spoke up, cutting her off.
"Why don't I just drive her home?" He put the car in park and turned to look back at them.
The pair blinked and looked out the windows, not having realized that they had reached Neal's building.
"I don't want to impose," Alex said, smiling slightly. "I can walk," she added, looking at Neal.
"I'm offering so you won't be and I have to go across the city anyway. Don't argue."
Neal grinned. "Glad that's settled. James, make sure she gets in okay?" At his friend's nod, the brunet turned to his girlfriend and lightly kissed the corner of her mouth. "Give me a call tomorrow and let me know how you're feeling please."
Alex gave him a blank look before sighing and nodding. "Alright." She followed him out of the car at his prompting and got into the front seat after a quick hug.
Neal paused as he was going to close the door and leaned down to look at Wolf. "And hold off on the inquisition you're planning until later."
"If you can't trust your girl with me, who can you?"
"Trust with her or trust with you?" Neal asked, lips twisting into a teasing smirk.
Wolf let out a laugh. "Whichever." He shifted the car into gear and raised an eyebrow at the younger two, reminding Alex to fasten her seat belt and Neal to close the door.
It was quiet the first couple minutes of the drive, save the directions Alex gave him. Wolf watched the girl from the corner of his eye, something in her posture and manner was nagging at him. He knew he had seen it before...
Wolf had a sudden vision of a blond boy, clothed in oversized clothes, with the same brown eyes that looked passed him, down at a table, down at his boots, head bowed as he was seated down the way during a meal, during exercises, next to him on a plane and staring out the window as the girl was now doing. Actually, now that he was thinking on it, that boy-that-wasn't-a-boy was remarkably like this girl; they had the same slow-burning anger, the same mix of confidence and insecurity, the same tired look in their eyes (though it was more tempered in this girl - from more experience maybe? He prayed not).
Taking one more glance at the girl, Wolf decided to go out on a limb and try something. "So, Cub, have you had many missions since France?"
"Some," she answered absently, lulled by the movement of the car. She blinked as Wolf's lips pressed into a harsh line. "...People would ask if you were drunk if you called them an odd name. Why would you give me a nickname? Especially one that goes with your buddies'."
Wolf grunted in irritation, stopping at a red light. "Don't jerk me around Alex. Which mission, no, where did you and Ben meet up again? Hell, nevermind that. Neal. Are you playing him?"
Alex turned, eyes narrowing dangerously. "What the hell gives you the right to say that?"
"You're a spy - lying is something you types just do."
Alex snarled at him. "You SAS are usually only good for breaking down doors, but that didn't stop you from trying your hand at manipulation when I was fourteen." She shoved the door open at the next stop and started down the street, back stiff.
Wolf cursed and pulled into a spot, throwing it into park without bothering to try and straighten the car. He shoved his own door open and took after Alex at a run. "Alex!" He cursed again when she didn't even bother looking back and just broke into a run. "Cub!"
He certainly had to give it to her, she was fast - it wouldn't normally take seven blocks for him to catch someone - and she was in heels. He didn't want to think of how long it would take if she was in sneakers. He wasn't willing to admit that he might not be able to catch her in those circumstances.
Just before Alex was able to turn a corner, Wolf snaked an arm around her waist and tugged her back against his chest. "Just calm down, would you?"
"Fuck you! Let go of me!" She threw an elbow back, getting him to ease his grip as he leaned back to avoid the blow from connecting with his nose. It had been broken once before and he didn't wish to repeat the experience. The teen twisted, connecting a hard slap that made them both freeze at the way it echoed in the empty street.
Wolf blinked wide eyes at her, looking mildly put out. "...I haven't been slapped since I was in school," he said slowly, sounding surprised.
Alex's eyes narrowed again and she swung her hand back a second time.
Wolf caught the slap this time and glared at her. "Don't push your luck, Cub." He grunted, shifting his grip and tossing her over his shoulder, ignoring the twinge from where a rock had dug in earlier.
Alex let out a huff of air then hit his back, managing to find that same spot. "Put me down you... you... over-grown mass of muscle!"
"Is that the best you can come up with?"
She pouted and crossed her arms. "Depends on if you're going to try to kill me or not," she muttered under her breath.
Wolf stopped and put her on her feet, harder than he had intended to if the way she staggered was any indication. "What the hell does that mean?"
She didn't meet his eyes. "Nothing." She turned away as if that would make him forget the subject.
He scowled but bit his lip, figuring that demanding answers would just make her tight-lipped. He put a hand on her shoulder and led her to the car, getting the door for her. He sighed once he got into the car and started it again. "Look, Cub, I just wanted to make sure that no one is going to get hurt."
She didn't respond but the look she gave him was answer enough, the haunted quality to her eyes making his gut tighten a little. It was something he had seen in fellow soldiers, had grown somewhat used to seeing in them, but it certainly wasn't something he ever wanted to see in a teenage girl, especially not one so closely intertwined with his unit.
Wolf nodded slightly, murmuring "I see," inferring correctly that it was too late, people already had been hurt, that she had tried her hardest so that it wouldn't happen, and that she was going to do her best to see that it didn't happen again.
It was quiet until they pulled into Alex's drive. Wolf put his hand on her shoulder when she went to open the door. Tired brown eyes met his gaze.
He took a deep breath, forcing his pride down, knowing that he needed to say this and that it could change how things were between the pair of them. "I'm sorry. For a lot of things. And I want you to know that, if you need help or to talk or whatever, you can come to me, no matter what. You're a member of my unit and for that alone I will do what I can, but... I can tell that Ben and Neal see something in you, and I trust them in that, and I know that I might not be the most observant when it comes to other people and..." He screwed up his face in aggravation. "This isn't coming out how I wanted it to."
Alex cocked her head. "Just be blunt. It's what you're good at," she said with a slight smile, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
Wolf met her eyes, his dark orbs serious. "I want to know what they see in you, I want to get to know you, try to be friends, and I want to make up for all that shit I did to you. I'd like to try being friends and, at some point, for the five of us to be an actual unit." At the surprised look on the girl's face, he sighed. "Just think about it, okay?" He scribbled his number on a napkin that had been in his glove box and passed it to her. "Give me a call if you're okay with that." Hopefully she'd take him up on his offer this time.
Alex blinked a few times. "Alright," she responded softly, absently accepting the napkin. "Thanks for the ride."
Wolf nodded, watching her get out of the car and walk up to the door. He didn't pull out of the drive until after she had closed the door behind her, returning her wave as she did.
Maybe things wouldn't turn out to be so hectic for the once spy and his teammate. Heaven knew they could use the break.
Wolf shook his head. Who was he kidding? None of them were that lucky.
